And so the surfing rehab begins

I’ll confess: I’ve not surfed consistently for almost five years. So when I first got back in the water here at Shaka I was almost relieved that I could even remember which way round the board goes!

A few days on and things are slowly coming back to me. To make things easier, I’m currently riding a 7’6″ NSP, so in theory, I should be able to catch even the smallest ripple. But catching waves isn’t the problem – it’s riding them that is! On my first venture out back I caught a wave slightly larger than the maximum of 4-5ft I was used to in England. I made the mistake of looking down just as I was popping up and promptly bottled it! I bailed off the back of the board and was quickly spun into the washing machine of white water. With no clue as to which way was up, I kicked to where I thought I might find some air, and surfaced just in time for another wave to land on my head!

But I’m slowly getting my confidence back. Tonight Chris taught me his method of popping up which seems infinitely easier than what I had previously been doing. So early tomorrow I’ll be out there again, and hopefully this time I’ll see some green faces, rather than just sticking to the white water.

Be sure to check back for updates on just how much the Pacific is beating me up. My weekly donations to the Pacific currently stand at 6 hairbands, 2 bikini tops and 1 dress size! Hasta Luego – Emma